The Frenchvale Brook Walking Trail is the new name for a 1,400-metre woodsy walk that climbs gently through a wooded area along the Frenchvale brook that members of the nearby community such as Joe Musgrave, Donnie and Danita MacNeil, worked on last year.

"There was a great turnout — we had 31 people show up which is great for a small area," said Sheila Gillis, co-chair of Frenchvale and Area Community Endeavours. "And we had seven choices to choose from and had a wonderful response to our request for names — some of them even came from as far away as Ontario.

"It was nice to know that people even at that distance were naming our trail."

Those who voted chose from seven names but Gillis said Frenchvale Brook Walking Trail probably won the secret ballot because of its accuracy.

"The trail is situated on the Frenchvale Brook so although it is located in the settlement of Balls Creek, it is on the Frenchvale Brook and located on the Frenchvale Road," said Gillis. "That was the popular name and that's what we'll call it."

The 1,400-metre, non-motorized trail is a project of Frenchvale and Area Community Endeavours, a community liaison committee that was formed in 2009 to come up with a plan for community economic development and an improved environment for business and economic growth.

The trail began as a track around the perimeter of the fire hall property that would give people a safe place to walk, away from the nearby road that is often busy with truck traffic. But the more it was discussed, the more it became apparent that people wanted more. So Gillis said the community group obliged.

"We had a plan of three projects, a kiosk, a trail and a playground so we've accomplished the first two," said Gillis. "The kiosk is there with lots of good information about the surrounding communities, our trail will be officially opened sometime either spring, summer or fall — we tend to look at the later part of the summer for the official opening of the trail — and once all that is done, then we will set sites on finding out what interest is in the community for the playground and we will proceed from there."

According to Cape Breton Regional Municipality District 3 Coun. Mae Rowe, who is also a co-chair of the Endeavours group, the next step involves putting up signs to let people know where the trail is and to clean up the area in the spring after the snow has left.

"People are free to go on it now," said Rowe. "Actually it was open in the fall, people were using it. If people want to snowshoe, they're free to go on it."

The Endeavours group will hold its annual meeting next month, where it will go over the activities of the past year and make plans for the upcoming year.

"We have been very busy since 2009 when (the Endeavours group) came into being and it's been busy ever since with projects," said Gillis. "There's wonderful co-operation, lots of enthusiasm and it's been great — a wonderful experience for everybody and it's really brought the communities together with our fundraisers and what not so — it's a very positive experience for the whole area."

The Frenchvale Brook Walking Trail is the new name for a 1,400-metre woodsy walk that climbs gently through a wooded area along the Frenchvale brook that members of the nearby community such as Joe Musgrave, Donnie and Danita MacNeil, worked on last year.